“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Stormvogel’s 21-day Race

Kees Bruynzeel, Stormvogel’s owner and racing skipper, at the wheel of his famous ketch. There can be few ocean-racing men in the world today to equal his long and successfuI career in the deep-sea “classics;” or his dogged determination to get the best out of his ship.

by Richard Crockett

Prior to the start of the Bermuda to Travemunde (Germany) race Kees Bruynzeel announced that this was ‘Stormvogel’s’ last race before she entered the charter trade. Sad, as she has performed exceptionally well in every event she has raced.

This was a 3 534nm race, undoubtedly the longest ocean race in the world at the time, and for Stormvogel it was a 21-day race during which she led the fleet for 3 000nm, and was only beaten for line honours in the last 100nm.

That was not the way her owner and crew envisaged finishing, yet still a fine way for a grand old lady to bow out of the racing scene gracefully.

READ BRUYNZEEL’S REPORT HERE:  stormvogel 1968 09 – SA Yachting – OCR

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